Two juveniles to be charged for robbery

Owner of New Hampshire Avenue business describes scary' incident

Two male juveniles from Washington, D.C., are awaiting extradition to Montgomery County for allegedly robbing a dry cleaner in Takoma Park early Saturday.

The males entered Banner Dry Cleaners at 7659 New Hampshire Ave. at about 9 a.m. One male wore a shirt wrapped around his face while the other used a metal pipe to intimidate store employees, according to the store owner, who asked not to be identified.

"The second guy pulled me over to the cash register and he sort of choked my neck with his left hand and he told me to open the cash register," she said in a telephone interview Monday. "It was really scary."

After the males had emptied the register, one of them tore a phone line from the wall and the two fled to their car parked in an alley next to the store, the owner said.

"After they let go of me, I wasn't really thinking and I wanted to see what direction they were going, so I just kind of ran after them," she said. "There was a car right next to our store and I copied down the license plate, then we called the police [on a cell phone]."

Officers from the Takoma Park police's Tactical Enforcement Unit immediately contacted Metropolitan Police officers in the District for help locating the suspects. Using increased patrol, undercover police officers and a D.C. police helicopter, the two suspects were located and arrested Sunday morning at a recreation park in the 3700 block of 10th Street in D.C., according to Takoma Park Police spokeswoman Cathy Plevy.

Plevy applauded the cooperation between police departments, saying such efforts were crucial in solving cases in a community such as Takoma Park, which borders both Prince George's County and the District.

"It's something that [Takoma Park Police Chief Ronald Ricucci] has strived to do since he got here two years ago, to make sure that all the departments work together," she said. "When kids are robbing businesses and running from one jurisdiction to another, you've got to keep everybody on the same page."

District police refused to comment on the arrests. Because both males will be charged as adults, their names, which had not been released as of Monday, will be made public, according to Plevy.

They will be charged with armed robbery, first- and second-degree assault, theft under $500 and conspiracy to commit armed robbery, according to a Takoma Park Police news release.

Banner Dry Cleaners has been the target of multiple robberies, according to the owner, who said the last incident occurred in October 2008, prompting the business to put in security cameras. While she does feel relieved that an arrest has been made in this incident, the owner still does not feel safe.

"You know, after that kind of incident, it's kind of difficult," she said. "It's not the end of this kind of situation. It could happen again. … This area doesn't feel safe."

Banner Dry Cleaners will close soon due to unrelated issues, she said.